Comments

SharonO

Hes got some good ideas, hopefully he can get some support. I think we are going to face the fact that the crosstown conector is coming...one guy cant hold up the show. Its too bad the rest of them folded the way they did...good luck ward 1

MzNorml

SharonO

Why do we need it? There has never been one undeniable fact that says we need it. All information is speculative. It will draw people downtown? How and why? If the wonderment of 5th ave south is a glimpse of crosstown connector future we are in for more headaches than its worth. Its not a decent ride, the streetlights are already burning out at a fast pace. Whats with the fence panels? It looks like we wanted a nice fence but couldnt afford it, is the rest on layaway? i have been to all the special meetings and question and answer get togethers, i am not uninformed, i am uninterested in wasting money. Until all existing roads are in decent condition (curb and gutter) lets not talk of spending money to make new ones we cant afford the upkeep of

birdman9989

This guy is only in his position for his own little world (ward) and not for the whole city. For a city the size of Fort Dodge, the last thing we need is to start pulling business away from the development on 5th Ave and the downtown. This would cost more city dollars than any other proposal for new roads, infrastructure etc. A city of 25-30,000 citizens does not need two business districts.

truthhurts

ward 1 has always been an eyesore of this community. anytime someone new comes into the community and comes in from that end of town that's the 1st thing they see. great 1st impression! former councilwoman hickey did an awesome job with the resources given to do so. but a lot of private property owners in that ward obviously need to step it up. just look up and down 3rd ave nw, houses half torn down half inhabitable. the best thing the great mark taylor can come up with is to shut down some parks? worried about a school being closed and hurting the value of surrounding properties? wants to make that end of town a shopping destination? jrg & casey's, what other retail cornerstones are there to build from? grocery store? really? i think the last one of those just updated not only their location but it's building as well. not sure our city at present date can support another grocery store. maybe a military px huh mark, would that go over good?

truthhurts

how many more years of this "well-misinformed" project child do we have to put up with? i feel bad for those in ward 1 who have well maintained properties & businesses & have to look at these bandaid like locations on a daily basis. but let's close parks & ask non-profit church groups & other like organizations for a donation tax? come on man, you're over inflated military resume along with you're under experienced private sector work has you lumped in with the other pour election casualties that sadly has become our city council. now i see your fellow newbie kim alstott is going to have a similar meeting. this the same guy who's whole platform was city streets? kind of ironic as i drive north on williams drive during his so called campaign & there are all these vote alstott signs peppered around road construction signs.

SharonO

Wow thats pretty negative. Yes he is in for his little ward. He is the ward one councilman...that says it all right? Were you at the meeting? Did you hear the whole conversation or are you relying on this article to inform you of his intent. If all you know of Mark Taylor is what you read in The Messenger then you do not have a clue of what the man stands for or what he is doing for his ward and this city.

truthhurts

funny you should mention what people read in the messenger and attending meetings. i believe mark taylor left a meeting last week because he wasn't happy that a reporter from the messenger wasn't in attendance. so i guess whatever is in the messenger is how he wants to be portrayed. no, in all fairness, i wasn't at that meeting. did the messenger leave out news about what other events the misinformed peeps has to offer us and enlighten us about how our tax dollars are being spent frivolously? but what does he stand for? i really am curious of your take, or are you among the band of mighty misfits pulling the strings on this puppet's behalf? negative, yes, i apologize for that but all opinions aside it is what it is. what has he done for his ward that wasn't already put in place & he's claiming credit for? what is it that he's doing for this city other than hampering the process for others wanting to make a positive change? a clue, really?

SharonO

What positive change? Writting off ward one and moving everything the opposite direction. What is that? He left a meeting last week because a certain reporter was not there? Did he stand up and announce that or is that an assumption? Were you in attendance at that one or was it heresay? Maybe those projects were on the table but he has stood firm with follow thru when there was talk of changing directions. I just dont think there is any need to talk poorly about people just because they have different views and if i wasnt there i wouldnt take the word of the messenger as to what is really happening.

truthhurts

so tabling an issues is the positive change you're speaking of? i'm still waiting for that response but whatever, not sure what i was expecting. so now you're telling me what i read in the messenger incorrect? i guess i better ask for my money back for all the years i've been receiving it. can i use you're word or hearsay, as you put it, as reasoning for that? take more time to read carefully, i wrote "a reporter" not a "certain reporter." no sharon, i wasn't at that meeting either. i rely on the rumor mills of fort dodge for my information. really? i guess i'll clear my schedule and attend every meeting i want to have an opinion on.

SharonO

You are correct i added certain. Sorry. Yes if you want to put in writting derogatory statements you should have first hand knowledge of what you write. So he left a meeting because there were no reporters there. Were there other councilmen there? Did they all leave? What is your reasoning for stating he left because there was no reporter? And im not sure what positive change he is holding back. Please give an example, lets discuss it

truthhurts

who says he's holding anything back? you merely made the statement, "then you do not have a clue of what the man stands for or what he is doing for his ward and this city." i asked for you to fill us in, i interpreted that as you had something positive to say about him and what he has accomplished at ward 1 councilman, guess not. don't put into writing without 1st hand knowledge. i guess this is the part of the messenger's website for comments on the article that was written. according to you i'm misinformed about that as well. so the other elected officials and heads of our local government all make the same statements and reference to what had happened that's all inaccurate you're telling me? wow, that's good stuff. seems mark taylor needs some sort of notoriety in all of his work for ward 1 and the city.

GangnumFarmer

Northwest Corridor. Church it up a little more, shall we. This end of town has a lot going for it, too bad it's mostly on the Hwy 169 side of things. Phinney Park trails help link the west side of town to the gracious new trail system our community has. Why not build off of that or other resources in that area that offer many recreational opportunities. Be original, set that area apart from other areas of town, don't try and replicate what we already have. Quit trying to take away what others have built up and support it and in turn they will support your projects. truthhurts you're a little rough on Mr.Talyor, give him a shot and see what he can or can't do. SharonO, why so quick to defend? You're another one in a long line to criticize the 5th Ave project and the missing fence panels, let it go. The whole project looks great. Makes one driving back into town feel good and proud. Can we say the same driving into town through Ward 1? Think about it.

SharonO

I am thinking abouy it...everyday as i drive to my job at Cargill. It looks terrible. 5th ave looks great, the fence panels are wierd, its still a rough ride. I am quick to defend because i feel its wrong to bash anyone who is trying to do something positive whether i agree with it or not.

SharonO

I am upset that everthing seems to be put into 5th ave s and as bad as bobtown looks we feel like we have to fight to get it fixed. I took the time to drive thru bobtown and there are alot of problems with it i am defensive beacause i grew up there and want to be there now but i dont feel like it gets a fair shake from the city

bububud

workhorse

So Mark Taylor is against investing in downtown where retail already exists (and is in his ward), but would like to see my tax dollars to to urban renewal and new retail development in Bobtown? Oh yeah, he's a sharp one that guy.

workhorse

Gee, then you have not read the Camiros study or listened to any of the discussion about revitalization of downtown. Clearly your primary sources of information are coffee shops and horoscopes. Listen, learn, and speak intelligently.

SharonO

I am not going to be so bold as to say i know everything about anything...what i am saying is i have been to several council meetings and what i hear being said by everyone in attendance is not always what is expressed in The Messenger. I am saying that on behalf of every council member, the mayor and city manager, sometimes even attendees statements are very off.

SharonO

Anderson that is what i have heard the most discussion of also. It is always slanted view depending on who is trying to sell the vision. Ward 1 would get a lot of benifit from crosstown connector but they would benefit more from streets that are actual streets with curb and gutter....my personal opinion